Combination compass protractor and ruler



June 2, 1931. w. E. owEN, .JR

COMBINATION COMPASS PROTRACTOR AND RULER Filed May 8. 1928 ,7 A d S L e.

JNVENTOR. E Owen BY 1Q/5% ATTORNEY.

Patented June 2, 1931 'WILLIAM E. WEN, JB., 0F CEDAR'RAPIDS, IOWA COMBINATION COMPASS PBOTBACTOB .AND BULEB Application led Hay 8, 1928. Serial No. 276,124.

This invention relates'to improvements in metrical instruments, having for an object to provide a device'of this vparticular character capable, by reason of its simplified f'orm and arrangement, of quantity production, as an article of manufacture, combining in a single instrument, a rule, compass, and protractor especially advantageous for use by architects, engineers, draftsmen, students in gedmetry, trigonometr physics,

etc., whereby measurements of t e English or metric scale may be effected therewith, lines or angles protracted, or arcs, or full circles successfully executed thereby.

Another and equally important object of the invention is to provide a combination device `formed l with a graduated straight edge adapted for measuring or ruling, the

body thereof having a centering eye arranged in the same through which a suitable pivot element is adapted to be engaged, while a pencil or other instrument receiving means is disposed in cooperative relation to the graduations, that markings may be made adjacent and according to t e proper or chosen graduation.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation for usage may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art to which it appertains, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and in the detailed following description based thereupon set out-one possible embodiment ofthe invention. Y

In the drawings Figure 1 is a combination device showing it in use as a compass;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section lthrough lthe same taken on the line 2 2 o Fi ure 1; Y

igure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the'device; p.

Figure 4. is an enlarged transverse section through the same taken on the line of Figure 3, y

Having more particular reference to the lan view of the improvedV drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will desi nate corresponding parts, the device ma e stated to comprise a body generally in icated herein by the numeral 1 and illustrated as being of substantially rectangular formation, said body being preferably formed of transparent or'translucent materiaL/colored if de-l sired; the longitudinal mar iral portion of said body, obviously, providin relatively parallel and straight edges, lcapa le of being advantageously used for ruling, while adjacent one of the edges or marginal portions, graduations,l indicative ofthe English linear scale, indicated by the numeral 2 are arranged, such graduations, of course, being suitabl presented or. inscribed upon one side o the body. Adjacent the remaining longitudinal marginal ortion or edge ofthe body 1 I provide gra nations or markings following the metric scale, inscribing or otherwise suitably presenting the same upon the face side of the body 1 as designated by the numeral 3, thus, it will be seen that the longitudinal straight ed e ortions 'of the rectangular body l will a or effectual measuring instruments in addition to ruling edges.

Rotatably engaged in one end portion of the bod 1 and preferably offset from the lon itu inal axis thereof is a centering eyelet des1gnated in its entirety at this time by the numeral 4, said eyelet being preferably formed of liber, metal, or other suitable material possessing the necessary qualities of wearl resistance an including in its construction a flanged or shouldered annular body adapted to be snugly yet rotatably received throu h the aforesaid portion of the body 1, as is s own in theFigure 2, the free portion of the eyelet having a locking washer 5 engaged over the same and secured thereto by scoring or upsetting adjacent ortions of the eyelet body as with a chise, punch or similar device. Thus, it will be seenl that the eyelet 4 will be secured to the body 1 in a manner to permit rotation with respect thereto and yet more by reason of the snug engagement with said body prevents any relative radial movement of the eyelet with re- I spect to said bod Also, it will be noted,

by reference tot e Figure 2, that the portlon of the body 1 through which the eyelet 4 is inserted, 1s slightly reduced, as indicated by' the" numeral 6, so that the outer said portions being iared more than the other, whereby to facilitate the fixed or positive centering engagement of a linger of the users hand therewith, in the manner as is illustrated in the Figure 1, in order-that the device when used as av compass or a protractor, may be eliectually `positioned so that its accurac during pivotal movement of the body 1 wlth respect to the eyelet 4.- will be aorded. 4

. That a pencil or other marking instrument may be advantageously used in connection with the body 1 of the device and especially when said device is utilized as a compass and in some instances as a protractor, I form in relative parallel longitudinally disposed relation within the body 1 a series of perforations, or openings, generally designated by the numeral 8, staggering or offsetting the perforations of the varlous rows with re-l spect to each other that they may be brought into positions adjacent to said particular l graduations, as indicated by the numeral 2,

and therefore, that accurate choosing and effecting of proper measurements for the markings to be made, will be facilitated. In this connection, it will be -noted u on reference to Figure 1, that in usage of t e openings indicated by the numeral 8, a pencil, such as indicated in dotted lines-bythe numerall 9, is adapted to have the sharpened portion thereof engagedthrough the particularly chosen opening whereupon a marking, such as a dot, line or arcmay be eli'ected upon the material being worked over.

' Other graduations, generall indicated by the numeral 10, are inscribe or otherwise presented upon the face side` of the bodv 1 1n proximity to and substantially parallelism with respect to said series of openings 9, said graduations being indicative of the metric scale andy being particularly advantageous for usage in securing proper measurements and consequently thereupon, the choosing of the particularly adj acentopening 8, whereby a desired or proper marking may be made.

Still other graduations indicated, generally, by the numeral 11, are inscribed or otherwise presented upon the face side of the body portion 1,-these graduations being ar-v ranged in substantially right angular formation, as is well shown in the. Figure 1', and indicating degrees, whereby the device may be eectually used for protracting work.

flush withv be stated to comprehend a body portion 1 formed of transparent or translucent mate- .rial and having substantially rectangular formation, the relative parallel and longitudinal marginal portions of which are formed to constitute'straight edges, one of the ed es being graduated according to the Englis scale, as' designated by the numeral 2 while the remaining straight edge is graduated according to the metric scale, as indicated by the numeral 3. y

Formed longitudinally of an intermediate portion of the body 1 and preferably, in proximity to that straight edge portion bearing the graduations 2 is a rectangular opening or yslot 12 slidably receiving an eyelet or 1de device 13 therein, said eyelet or guide evice being formed of liber, metal, or other suitable material, such as conditions or preferance may dictate, and including in its construction, a shouldered eye portion 14 having the opposite extremities or portions of the opening therethrough ared, as indicated at 15; said eye portion being secured in its slidable mounting with respect to the slot or way 12 throu h the medium of arm portions designate by the numerals 16 and 17, said arms being formed with complemental intermediate openings adapted to be bindingl y whereby to'effect a positive sliding mounting of the eyelet 13 in said way 12 and at the same time, by reason of the shouldered engagement of the angled portion 18 with the adylcent mar inal portions of the way 12, to prevent of re ative lateral movement of said eyelet during its longitudinal slidin movement. Also, that the eyelet 13 may e eiectually used, that is, that an accurate positioning of the same adjacent the desired `or required graduations, may be insured, the

`arm 16 is formed with reduced or pointed extremities 19, the meeting angles of which are in truealinement with the eye portion 14 for obvious purposes.

This eyelet 13 is adapted to be used in sublao stitution for the series of openings orl perforations illustrated in the Figure 1 and iden-v tiiied by the numeral 8, the eye portion 14 serving to receivey a pencil-or other marking instrumenttherethrough, whereupon the eyelet may be slid or adjusted to -an desired positionl throughout the length o the slot or way 12 receiving it, hence permitting' its l setting at any radius whether the device is prising a transparent body used as a compass or at any pointwhen used as a* protractor, thereby permitting of a finer adjustment and consequently, more' accurate work.'l

That the e elet 13 may be adjusted in accordance wit the metric scale, I may and preferably do inscribe or otherwise present Aupon the face side of the body 1 adjacent toV and throughout the length of the slot 12, graduations, or markings indicative of the metric measurement, as indicated by the numeral 10', that a user of the device, may, by alinin the pointed extremities 19 of the arm 16 a jacent any particular marking or graduation, secure the proper measurement, radius, etc.

Rotatably mounted in one end portion of the bod 1 and laterally offset from the longitu inal axis thereof is a centering eyelet 4', corresponding in construction, and mounting to the eyelet identified in the preceding 'embodiment and serving for a corresponding purpose. j

In addition to the metric measurements 2', 3' and 10' inscribed upon the face side of the body portion 1', I also pivotally present upon this particular side of said body, graduations, nerally indicated by the numeral' 11', that t e device may be eifectually or advantageous-4 ly used as a protractor.

The mode of usage of the improved combination device as a ruler or measuring device, wherein the graduated straight edge pg'ltions 2, 2', or 3 or 3 are used, is obvious.

en it is desired to use the improved device as a compass, a pivot device, such for example as the finger of the users hand, illustrated in the Figure 1, and identified by the numeral 20 is engaged over the centering eyelet whereupon the desired radius or measurehaving graduated markings indicative of linear measurements upon its face side and ment with one row and said face side of the bodyportion havin linear markings thereupon adjacent one e ge, all of said last mentioned markings converging toward a common center adjacent the opposite edge.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM E. OWEN, Jn.

ment is ascertained as the point of the par- A ticular marking device emplo ed is engaged through the adjacent l per oration 8 or through the eye portion 14 of theeyelet 13,

' as regards the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the Figures 3' and 4. At this time, the body 1 is swung upon the centering eyelet whereupon an arc, circle, or other marking A fected. Also, it will be un erstood that the device, 'when used as a protractor, may be swung to the desired or proper angle with respect to the sheet being worked upon, by

swinging the same about that point or intermediate portion indicated by the arrow 21 to the proper osition for protracting.

Manifestly, t e constructions shown herein are capable of further modification and therefore, such modification as is within the scope of my claim, I consider to be within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

of the desired de ree will be ef- A device of the character described comportion formed with relatively parallel stralght edge sides 

